Crazysexycool
TLC
1994
Album Summary
CrazySexyCool is the second studio album by American girl group TLC. It was released on November 15, 1994, by LaFace and Arista Records. Following the group's record deal, they released their debut album Ooooooohhh... On the TLC Tip in 1992 to positive reviews and commercial success. The following year the group began working on a follow-up with an unproductive recording process due to personal struggles, notably those of member Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes who was involved in a volatile romantic relationship and struggling with alcoholism. The album's recording lasted until September 1994, with Lopes' role diminished because she was in rehab. The album saw the group reunite with producers Dallas Austin, Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and Jermaine Dupri as well as new collaborators Organized Noize and Chucky Thompson, and also featured contributions from Sean "Puffy" Combs who helped with the notable hip hop soul sound. CrazySexyCool featured hip hop beats, funk, deep grooves, propulsive rhythms and smooth production. The album's lyrical content was seen as a departure from the group's debut and was seen as a coming-of-age project which explored themes such as sexuality, romanticism, inexperience, and youthful optimism. CrazySexyCool was met with critical acclaim and commercial success, peaking at number three on the Billboard 200, where it spent over two years. It has been certified 12-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), making TLC the first girl group in history to be awarded diamond status. CrazySexyCool has since sold over 15 million copies worldwide, becoming the best-selling album by an American girl group. The album has since been featured on Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die and was listed as a "New Classic" by Entertainment Weekly in 2008. The album was also ranked as the seventh best diamond-certified album of all time by Billboard.
WikipediaI didn't remember it being this horny. Aside from waterfalls, just not that interesting
Great songs with slick, polished production and the right mix of R&B/hip hop, soul and pop ensuring massive crossover appeal. All star guest cast cameos. Sexy but never sleazy. The blueprint for all female groups that followed in their footsteps. This is a real winner.
It's seems that as much as I try to find one, there just isn't a teenage girl hidden away inside of me. I don't have any anger against this album. I just don't like it.
Omg, I was super excited just seeing this album pop up! This was the bangerrrrr in middle school and I can not even count how many times I’ve listened to it. And it is absolutely still a banger in every sense. I freaking loved every second of rediscovering this album in its totality!
Damn I loved this album when it came out. It's hard to explain to someone today just how cool TLC was and what kind of place they occupied in pop culture. For representation's sake, this is my 145th album and only the SECOND all-female group beside the Go-Gos.
In my opinion, there aren't many R&B/Hip-hop albums with unskippable tracks. This is certainly one of those unicorns. A must for any collection.
I've mentioned in these notes before that I know next to nothing about R&B. That remains true, but I enjoy finding gems like this immensely. My entry into other genres has been more or less immediate through newly released albums or through systematically listening to the greats of the genre. R&B, on the other hand, is not something I love based on neo-soul, which I see as its genre successor. Neither is it something that I've dived into in a systematic way. Anyway, all that is to say that this is an album I likely wouldn't have listened to in any other way, and I really like it. It would easily be excellent if the instrumentation was less obviously synthetic, but the song quality and inclusion of 3 Stacks at the end make me think it'll hold up to repeat listens. The production is all relatively fresh and it strikes the right balance between sexiness and not taking itself too seriously. I'm not sure if any of the songs aside from Waterfall will be earworms, but they're all distinct and I didn't mind the skits either (which apparently makes me an outlier?).
there were like 2 or 3 songs that were dope but the rest of it felt like some drawn out blubbery orgasm
CrazySexyCool, genau das ist das Album nicht. Viel zu lang, 16 Songs, davon 5 Interludes und trotzdem 56 Minuten. Alle außer ein Lied über 4 Minuten, der Inhalt: CrazySexCool, denkste... Highlight der Rap part am Anfang des letzten Songs "Lieblingssongs": 1. Waterfall 2. Sumthin´Wicked This Way Comes
Not my thing, but that doesn't mean it's without merit. If you like this sort of music I suppose this would be pretty good. But it's music you don't need to engage with. Background, lift music. Or the kind of thing you'd hear in a restaurant that was trying to be "urban" - but it would just be irritating.
Another one of my first CDs. I memorized left eye’s waterfalls verse when I was 8
All of their best, some of the non-popular stuff isn't as great, but still a classic album.
Let’s be honest, I’ve been chasing them waterfalls for a long while now. TLC will forever hold a special place in my heart
Es de lo mejoooorr, realmente me encantó, es una obra de arte de principio a fin, simplemente no tiene un sólo skip y es perfecto, se siente muy actual a pesar de no ser reciente, lo recomiendo muchisimo.
What a monster R&B album. Amazing. What is more surprising is the special guests on songs...and how they are titled with their "old" names. Great intricate chemistry between these 3.
already heard it. one of my all time faves. very sexy and cool and a crazy good album
Love TLC. 2nd favorite album behind "On the TLC Tip." Great album. God, they really love sex - xD Love it!
Back in '94, I thought I was too cool for CrazySexyCool, no doubt making my way through the chaotic ruins of late-stage grunge. But damn this is a good album. Even though there are literally children today whose parents were conceived to this album, it still feels fresh. By mashing up pop, R&B, hip hop and edgy alt sounds, it is solidly the forebear of the hip alt R&B albums of the past decade.
T-Boz, Left Eye and Chili demonstrate why they’re arguably the greatest girl group of the 90s. Covering subjects from unapologetic sexuality to bewilderment at the quickly-changing world of the new decade, it’s erotic, funny and brash all at once.
If this isn't the horniest album on this list, it's the horniest I've come across so far and probably the horniest album of the 90s, even it it didn't feature a gender bent cover of an already gender bent Prince song.
Lækkert R&B album. Fede numre og de har altså noget glimt i øjet og sex i stemmen. En del fyld.
Hell yea 90s r&b. Two great singles off this one “Creep” and “Waterfalls” and all the cameos were awesome- Andre 3000, Busta Rhymes, Black Thought maybe?
8/10. Got better as I went. The sexy interlude almost made me want to give it a 9, because it was amusing.
TLC is good. Definitely didn’t expect to listen to this all the way through. That’s probably on me though because many people seem to like them.
7/10. this definitely has some jams, but it got a little samey and i think the lyrics were very predictable/cliche
THE BEGINNING AND THE CHORUS OF DIGGIN ON YOU!!!! EXACTLY!!!!!! shooby doooo if i was your girlfriend exactly this album is so good it's the pinnacle of the word sexy and lisa's rapping voice is something else the way her words bounce off is the best the instrumentals here are so catchy i loveeee it
Eine meiner Lieblingsgruppen, eins meiner Lieblingsalben, sehr sexlastig lol
Although I was familiar with TLC - difficult to miss them in the 90s, they were everywhere - but had not really listened to their music. Listened to this album and it's great. Really nice mix of R&B groove, hip-hop, and some fantastic vocals (those voices, wow!). Enjoyed this one.
This is quintessential 90s listening, from T-Boz's sultry voice, down to the ridiculous interludes before the songs. Love it.
Pretty good album but it has too many intermissions that bloat the runtime
8/10, real nice introduction to soul and r&b, sex sounds were great too.
Not really my thing but this is about as prototypical mid-90s R&B as you can get. Solid album. Worth listening to.
Please stick to the rivers and the lakes that you're used to. Best track: Creep
Класный олдскульный r'n'b. Альбом 1994 года, получается это прародитель всего засилья, что было на Mtv в 2000х. Послушал с огромым удовольствием, хоть это и не мой жанр.
This is the reason they are one of the formative girl groups of the 90s
3.5/5. Pretty good, better than average. I liked the general vibe of this album, 90s RnB. The track that I liked the most was 'Diggin' On You'.
I really didn't notice any tracks that stood out other than the singles. Good though.
- slows jams definitely scream the 90s - many many ludes??? fav was the sexy one tho - rap in waterfalls SO good - if i was your girlfriend <3 - intro to sumthin wicked this way comes was speaking truths
This is a really terrific album. The production is ahead of its time (although still steeped in New Jack Swing). Singing is great, fantastic songs (esp Creep, Waterfalls). I love the cover of "If I was Your Girlfriend" - hard to cover Prince, esp at the height of his powers. I love the confidence of the group, although I really don't think we needed the interludes, which dilute the power of the powerful female presence on this record. Other than that, perfect.
A great sounding groovy R&B album - was not in my wheelhouse when it came out although the great singles "Creep" and "Waterfalls" were unavoidable. Glad to give this a full listen as I appreciate it way more today - good songwriting and musicianship (noted: guitar solo on "Red Light Special") and even if it's not my preferred genre this is a great album with top-notch catchy songs and fantastic production especially for 1994. Recommended. 7/10 4 stars.
of course i know waterfalls but i’ve never heard another song by them but i actually really enjoyed it. it was super groovy and catchy, especially switch!
What a great varied album. Some phenomenal tracks in there and even if there is a lack of No Scrubs on this one, it more than makes up for it
It’s weird that the song everyone knows from this album (“Waterfalls”) knows a little antithetical to the album. The album itself felt more hip-hop than R&B. I have to wonder what would have happened if they had continued. Anyway, most of the songs were pretty good, even the interludes were enjoyable (probably because they were music and not skits). I would have liked to have known the guest vocals, that made it more hip-hop to me, having Busta Rhymes and whoever else there. Overall there were one or two songs I might say meh to, but a strong outing.
Rating: 8/10 Best songs: Creep, Diggin on you, Red light special, Waterfalls
4.1 - I was expecting a bubblegum teeny record but I couldn't have been more wrong. This is full-on grownfolks music, i.e. people be fucking to this. I like the big hits, "Creep" and "Waterfalls" - terrific production on both songs. "Red Light Special", maybe my favorite track on the album, is sexy AF, especially with the bridge that leads to a guitar solo. I even like their cover of "If I Was Your Girlfriend", though not as much as Prince's original. And as far as skits go, "Sexy-Interlude" is actually pretty hilarious.
Surprisingly good. I was too young to appreciate this when it came out.
some amazing tracks. Listened to this a ton of times because its peak 90s nostalgia for my wife. not a perfect album by any means but it definitely answers the question "what did make-out music sound like in the second half of the 90s
very good, can sound samey as product of its time but the highs are high. 7/10
Surprised at how nostalgic this made me feel. This has a generally uplifting vibe that I really miss in more modern pop music. The beat production and sampling technology had reached a place where the hop influence could be incorporated into the songs very fluidly. I think it holds up really well. The Prince cover was a nice touch and the Andre 3000 appearance at the end made me turn my head to check and see if Spotify hadn't gone on shuffle.
I was familiar with TLC. Overall it was good and a lot of the songs were recognizable. The most surprising song was the cover of Prince's "If I was Your Girlfriend." I didn't know that they covered that song, it is a good cover. Not sure why they needed to keep saying the name of the album in multiple songs. The album was just under an hour and it felt a little long.
4 This one surprised me. Don't get me wrong, No Scrubs and Waterfalls are bangers, but I never thought a 90s pop girl group album would be amongst my favorites so far... yet here we are. Just about every song on this album is a banger. Admittedly, it did start losing me a bit after Waterfalls, but it pulled me back in with Switch, and then finally with an absolute killer finale in Sumthin' Wicked This Way Comes. While I don't think this could ever crack the status of being a "top album" for me, I would listen again in a heartbeat. Favorite songs: Waterfalls, Sumthin' Wicked This Way Comes, Creep, Diggin' on You
I knew I would enjoy this one! We own the CD from back in the day. Great album from top to bottom. I think my least favorite song was the biggest hit off the album, Waterfalls. But even my least favorite is a good song. Cover of Prince's, if I was your girlfriend, was bonus. Crazysexycool is the perfect name, for a great album. Have listened many times and will listen again. 4 out of 5
While I was never a big fan of "R&B", I think that this trio, pumping out their hits in the genre's golden era is about as good as it gets. The three vocalists keep it fresh, as do the few dozen backup vocalists, plus the guitar and bass players who give it a Sly Stone/Isley Brothers vibe - without samples. My co-judge says it's catchy. I'm disappointed "No Scrubs" isn't on it but I'll listen to that one next!
I would have a hard time sticking with an album that was 56 minutes of hip-hop. Ditto an album that was 56 minutes of R&B. The variety is what makes this album special. Mixing in the hip-hop makes the R&B better and the R&B makes the hip-hop better. Other variety factors that keep it interesting and exciting are having a male and female rappers in the same song and having duets on the R&B segments. There are some traditional full on soul girl group songs such as Diggin' On You and Take our Time where they show how well they sing and harmonize. Also, society's declining ability to censor allows for much more provocative lyrics (eg Red Light Special) than those sung by the more famous soul girl groups from preceding decades. Finally, Waterfall is an excellent song. (RIP Left Eye)
I got the greatest compliment in 1994 while standing in line waiting to get in to a downtown bar in Lincoln, Nebraska. An attractive black woman looked at me with elevator eyes and said, "Damn, look at that ass. I bet you could fry an egg on that ass." I don't even know what that means. I never really thought I had much of an ass. But I love eggs, especially fried ones. I should have tried picking up that sassy woman. I bet she would have rocked my world, and you're goddamn right we would have fried eggs in the morning. Such was the mood in 1994. We were all as horny as this album. Hell, maybe this album is the reason we were all horny (it was literally playing everywhere, the thing is loaded with bangers, including a horny cover of a horny Prince song). Maybe I thought that fried egg loving black girl was out of my league. Maybe I was taking TLC's advice: I didn't go chasing waterfalls; I stuck with the easy putts. I remember taking a woman named Kimber to see The Specialist starring Sylvester Stallone and Sharon Stone. We went and had wild sex on her kitchen floor afterwards while "Digging on You" played on her stereo. I never saw her again. But "Digging on You" will always be our song.
Classic old school RnB, smooth beats, beautiful vocals and hypnotic harmonies. I wasn’t even born when this album came out but it makes me feel nostalgic. Great vibes all round!
CrazySexyCool is the second album by American hip hop/R&B girl group TLC. The album was seen as a coming-of-age project for the group and it was met with critical acclaim and commercial success. It spent over two years on the Billboard 200 chart - peaking at number 3 - it has been certified 12 times platinum - which means TLC was the first girl group to be awarded diamond certification - and the album won the 1996 Grammy award for Best R&B Album. The four singles from this album all reached the top 5 of the Billboard Hot 100 - two of them reached number 1. The popular single "Waterfalls" is known around the world, even if the individual listener isn't aware that the artist is TLC. The group had lessened their use of rap in this album and decided to spice things up with more R&B and soul elements. This gave the album a smooth, seductive sound that appealed to mainstream audiences. This album still has influence on the hip hop and R&B genres of today, and it's been argued that TLC's blending of these two genres for this album is what keeps the genres so connected to this day. I'm glad I finally got to listen to this awesome album in its entirety!
"Creep" and "Waterfalls" are the two most known songs on the album. Thought it was pretty good but do think it was a bit too long. 7/10.
A great time. Loved the sounds, lyrics were only ok but the singing was fantastic. Just the right length for this type of album and perfectly sequenced. Only other issue was most of the interludes were unnecessary, but it wasn't really a major issue. A great record
Efficient, formerly ubiquitous mid-90s R&B. Not my thing, but can’t argue it’s not good at what it does
Decent album. Not surprising my favourite songs are the ones produced by Organized Noize.
Don't go chasing waterfalls, please stick to the rivers and lakes that you're used to. I know what you want to have it your way or nothing at all, but I think you're moving too fast.
One of their most famous albums, but not really my type of sound. Decent to listen to, with some classics like Waterfall.
Backgroundmusic I can listen to when I'm working. Waterfalls is the only song I realy know. And I think that one is a good song.
Ikoniskt 90 taligt. Ganska mycket same same, men en del riktigt bra. Gillade!
Je me surpris a aimer un dimanche matin. Bon r&b precursseur augirls band debut 2000
Hip hop soul/R&B. I want to give it a 10/10 and a 0/0. 5/10, an R&B fan would like this a lot more than me.
“CrazySexyCool” by TLC (1994) An album that is like window shopping in Amsterdam. This hyper-produced girl group puts out a sound that is interesting for low-pitched vocal register—a feature that presents musical problems, but is pleasing enough. Lyrically reinforcing every embarrassingly slutty stereotype in the urban lexicon, it’s clear what and to whom they (their managers) are trying to sell. But the listener forms no connection to the artists as persons. This is poverty. But it’s crazy; it’s sexy; it’s cool. Truth in advertising. I’m happy to take a hit. 3/5
Richtig gute Fickmusik. Und anders, als ich sie damals wahrgenommen habe mit Herz, Humor, Hirn und - das natürlich auch damals schon bemerkt - Attitude. Die Attitude fand ich früher doof, aber jetzt: wie gesagt. Richtig gute Fickmusik. Und mit dem auch besten Osterei (Sexy-Interlude), das ich dazu bis jetzt gehört hab! 3,4
Smoothe Sache und bis auf die etwas billigen Beats kommen die Songs kuschelig über die satinierte Ohrmuschel reingetänzelt. Janet Jackson gibt mehr als 3.4
Hmmm... it’s okay, it’s a soul, rap, pop record. Don’t really know why it’s in the list, but with 1001 spaces I guess there’s room for this. I wouldn’t be able to really tell the difference from All Saints or Eternal maybe. Good but not exceptional.
The album that spurned a million shite British R&B groups. I'm looking at you Eternal. And you The Honeyz. Despite the above issue which isn't really their fault this is actually a pretty decent album. Its far too long but the good tracks are bangers. Extra point for a Prince cover. 3/5
not particularly crazy sexy or cool, to be honest suffers as influences so much bad music which came after
I am amazed. This is good. I wasn't expecting to like this. Their singles are too poppy for me. The rest is good.
Love me some TLC though they did start to become too samey even for me so it's a 3 for me
Totaal mijn ding niet. Maar als hun opzet was op erotiek op een plaat te gieten is hun doel meer dan geslaagd. En verschrikkelijk was het nu ook niet. Dus hiervoor toch een 3/5
Um álbum com traços de RAP mas mais virado para o R&B. Um álbum com traços muito fortes da época que foi lançado, parece que voltamos no tempo, de uma forma positiva. Há músicas que não me dizem nada, mas não são más e outras relativamente catchy como o Kick your Game. Nota:5/10
Beste sang: waterfall Heilt greit liksom, kunne hørt på det. Noen bra sangar, men noen dårlige
Some real bops that I know and love. Otherwise typical r&b. Kinda raunchy at parts
-\"Creep\" is catchy, I like the doubled chorus bits -Perfectly palatable hip-hop stuff
I once purchased this album through the BMG music subscription service. Side note: my parents did not police what albums I bought at all. Additional side note: this was when I bought albums entirely based on the singles, which is not a great way to acquire quality albums. I don’t remember ever listening to anything but the singles on CrazySexyCool, but still 14 year old me was so with it! Creep and Waterfalls stand the test of time as excellent songs. Waterfalls was also timely for me in the mid-1990s. A few short years later my town switched area codes and had to start using all 10 digits for a phone call. I bring this up because I could no longer use the 7 digit numbers that I was used to for my whole life up to that point. Yet another side note: I must recognize that these are lyrics from Weird Al’s parody Phony Calls from his 1996 Bad Hair Day album that came out the year before the area code switch. Im laughing hard at myself because Weird Al is so good I actually thought these were the TLC lyrics until I double checked just before submitting my rating. I sure hope Weird Al is on the 1001 album list. He deserves it. I recognize and like Busta Rhymes on Can I Get A Witness (Interlude). André 3000 also shows up on the last track. Both their appearances are interesting in retrospect because TLC was likely the more well known act and helped propel their careers a bit. Overall this is a solid album by the best selling American female group of all time (#2 worldwide behind the spice girls). I forgot that they were that big. I only remember the singles and that Left Eye burned Andre Rison’s house 6 months before this album was released. Good times.
I wrote a lot about TLC. And then forgot to save it. Doh! This album is "cool." But I think its coolness may have been heightened by the time period in which it came out. It was peak MTV, and the music videos from this album, especially "Waterfalls," are intrinsically tied to these songs. It was also a time when women in music were openly and boldly talking about their sexuality - we wouldn't have WAP today if it wasn't for TLC and Salt n Pepa. (Credit to Kate on that one.) This album is "sexy." And it's in the sultry songs where it excels the best, and those type of songs are also best suited for the voices of T-Boz and Chilli. I was a little worried at first on "Creep," where I was really underwhelmed by the vocals. They're not amazing singers, just good, and some of these songs that utilized their voices better than others. However, as good as this album might be for turning the lights down low, it probably killed the mood with the funniest bit on the album, the prank call of "Sexy-Interlude" that ends with a toilet flushing. This album is "crazy" too. Or at least, TLC's story is. From ditching their founding third member, to drama between group members, to Left Eye almost burning her house down setting fire to a bathtub full of her abusive boyfriend's shoes. Left Eye, by the way, is the real star and stand-out here. Her verses are the best part of every song. Overall, this is the first album that I've had to consider how much (if at all) I'll let the nostalgia factor influence my reviews. "Crazysexycool" is not as good as I remembered. It has a few very fondly remembered hit singles, and while I get why it was a big hit at the time, it doesn't hold up quite as well.
The bangers are bangers, the rest was actually a little underwhelming. Was there a poop joke in the middle??
Kan ändå instämma att det är ganska galet, sexigt och coolt. Blev orolig när jag hörde första låten som i själva verket var något av ett intro. Den fick mig att tro att det skulle vara väldigt tung hip-hop som jag inte brukar tycka så väl om. Dock var albumet något helt annat, lite lugnare tempo och genomgående sköna vibbar. Många gånger påminner det mig om underbara Alicia Keys. Sättet låten bara lugnt flyter på, en bra sångerska och ett inblandande av en kraftfull körsång lugnar mig, kanske då av anledning av att jag håller Alicia så högt. Men efter den initiala chocken alltså detta en riktig pleasure att lyssna på. Jag är nöjd. Bäst: (Vet inte)
Soooo... which one is favorite? You like Chili, don't you? I'm a Left Eye fan. Why doesn't T-Boz get any love... I think I'm the only one that didn't buy this album when it came out. And, why would I? All the ladies I knew were playing this nonstop and the Waterfalls video (great video BTW) was played ever 15 mins. on MTV. Though this is the first time I've listened to it all the way thru, it's apparent that the album was intended to be a hit in itself and not just an album that had some hit songs. I enjoyed the 'interludes' and respites between tracks. Maybe I overlooked it in the '90s but it seems like a different approach to making music, perhaps novel for the times. In the 90's you threw in a CD and were basically a captive audience. No Spotify to immediately toggle between bands/albums and because it plays so well, it's easy enough to play it again. I enjoyed it today. It's very well put together, but too much a throwback to the 90's to get more love from me...
Essentially a t-boz solo album with minor contributions from chilli and left eye. Left eye was having lots of problems at this time so barely features and I dont think chilli was prominent on any or their albums. Great production and great but sparse features but really only 6 out of 16 are worth a re listen and only waterfalls and creep at a stretch are really good so this is a solid 3. Waterfalls is still a great song.
… some fun tunes … titillating but the imperatives get a little tiresome
I bought this CD when it came out, haven't listened to it complete in about 25 years. Damn good 90s Hip-Hop Soul. Forgot about how Lisa Lopes was the crazy in the Crazy Sexy Cool, but her talent was taken from us too soon.
quite a lot is enjoyable. Waterfalls is really good. I can see why people are into this kind of thing.
Sounded all very similar and the songs being about the same topics got old quickly
Well produced album with well done vocals, but I just wasn’t crazy about these songs.
Good album, these are the roots of actual R&B. But i won't hear it again.
I remember Waterfalls when this came out, but it was never really my thing at the time. This was okay overall.
It was more funky than I expected which is a welcome shift from the plant pop groups that would dominate the late 90s. This music was at times, funny, sexual, and socially conscious. I can see why it's a celebrated album. It just doesn't do much for me personally, but I appreciate it for what it is. It does run a bit long and is a bit over produced for my taste
A lot of cheesy R’n’B stuff that’s not really my thing… but there were a couple of redeeming tracks. This is ok!
To me, this album is definitely a product of its time. I think it’s a jam for what it is, but is not something I’d go out of my way to listen to.
would rate 3.5 if I could. some very solid all time hits, 90s style skits and silky r+b style really date the album imo
Creep, Red Light Special and Waterfalls are enjoyable. The other tracks lean way too heavily into the crazysexycool motif as if it is enough to make it great. It is pretty disposable, though Switch and Sumthin' Wicked pull the album out of it's nosedive towards the end.
Boy this was huge in 1994. I must have seen that Waterfalls video a hundred times but I don't think I ever listened to the while album before. Dated in places but holds up. RIP Phife on the intro track!
Iconic album cover. I've definitely never listened all the way through but I like the TLC I've heard. Happy to give it a listen. It's a bit one dimensional in that it's definitely all about the singing. The backing tracks are just that, just the vaguest support to the vocals; indeed I occasionally wished the producer put the backing even further back. That said, the songs are smoooth, gorgeous, and drip with sexy confidence garnished with a cheeky wink. The interludes are a bit jarring and break up the flow; sexy-interlude in particular completely breaks the mood. That's probably the point, otherwise the album would be one big blur with a few standout moments. Actually, thinking about it more, that would be better. Overall the album gets into its zone and stays there. A good groove, enjoyable listen. 3 stars as is, 4 without the interludes. Waterfalls is, of course, a standout tune.
Sexy vibe, smooth and slick production. This was a really talented group of performers and this album was fire in ’94. Even I owned a copy, and I was never really into this kind of music. The hip hop underpinnings of these songs that made them sound so cool and fresh at the time make them sound somewhat dated now. The best songs ultimately are the ones that go more for straight R&B. The subject matter sometimes tends to be oversexed, which gets tiring. A little goes a long way with that sort of thing. As for the interludes, there are too many of them and they add nothing to the album. Rounded up to a 3 because when they’re good, TLC hits it out of the park. But there are more than a few skippable tracks. Fave Songs: Creep, Diggin' On You, If I Was Your Girlfriend, Waterfalls, Kick Your Game
Wow, this was a bit of a letdown. I was expecting more. It sounds dated and like typical 90's R&B cheese (where they took all the 80's synth and fake instruments and tried to make it sound cooler). These ladies were definitely better than cheese but this album is average at best.
A good example of the 90s R&B scene. Liked a couple of tracks, but wondered if having more than 12 songs of the same thing was necessary
Nice and smooth, not really huge beats. Glad that the interlude's that were popular in 1990s hip-hop albums have somewhat been toned down.
Way darker production than I expected that would've been helped with se diversified subject matter. interesting to hear waterfalls in the broader context of the album though
Competent 90s pop r&b. Obviously Waterfalls is a banger but the rest I'm indifferent.
Ok Waterfalls is a seriously good track, but we knew that. Rest of the album is 'ok'
Slightly conflicted with this one. Not really what I would usually listen to but I quite liked it
The really well known songs do a lot of the heavy lifting on this album. It rates well overall, but mostly because of them
Loved by fans and critics. 11 million copies sold. It's like RnB mixed with the Supremes.(6/10) FT: Creep, Waterfalls
Good album. Never noted the obvious Prince comparisons. I wanted something a little more dance-able on the album, though.
I expected a rap/hip-hop album, but was pleasantly surprised. The songs mostly are R&B and genereally flow nicely in the background. Waterfalls is the obvisous standout. There is some rapping, but it's not as annoying as on many other albums. 3/5